The MN Department of Health has released a new report, Study of Telehealth Expansion and Payment Parity …

The Legislature directed this study in 2021 to help inform their work to set telehealth coverage and reimbursement policies, and to explore the role of telehealth in the future of health care for Minnesotans. The preliminary report, Study of Telehealth Expansion and Payment Parity: Preliminary Report to the Minnesota Legislature 2023, was released in June 2023.

They make nine recommendations…

In light of the findings of this study, MDH makes nine recommendations to support continued broad availability and use of telehealth as a tool to deliver health care services, helping Minnesotans to access timely, effective, and affordable health care:

• Recommendation 1: Payment parity should continue for real-time (synchronous) audio-visual and audio-only telehealth for health care services for which telehealth may substitute for, and is comparable to, in-person care. If evidence emerges that there are significant or meaningful cost savings without sacrificing quality or satisfaction, the payment structure could be revisited.

• Recommendation 2: Audio-only telehealth should continue to be included in the definition of telehealth in Minnesota statute, and therefore be subject to payment parity and coverage requirements. • Recommendation 3: Further investments in infrastructure are needed to improve access to telehealth.

• Recommendation 4: Broad action is needed to help people build their knowledge, skills, and comfort to use telehealth effectively.

• Recommendation 5: Build the capacity across sectors to support equitable access to health care via telehealth.

• Recommendation 6: Require that health plans and health care providers provide clear and transparent communication about options for telehealth services, including costs to patients.

• Recommendation 7: Ensure that policies promoting telehealth access do not limit availability of in-person care for all Minnesotans.

• Recommendation 8: Telehealth can support a strained health care workforce, and training and continuing education for providers must include telehealth and related technologies.

• Recommendation 9: Ongoing monitoring and policy-relevant research on telehealth is needed to ensure that its use effectively supports Minnesotans’ health and does not increase risks of harm.

Inherent in many of these recommendations is access to broadband, which is made more explicit when you read greater detail on each recommendation.